Rockets HOPE list of experiments that continue to pay

After avoiding playing Tari Eason and Steven Adams in back-to-back games, Houston took advantage of Rockets coach Ime Udoka both against Phoenix Suns Wednesday, with Eason, thriving in a 119-111 home win in front of a showdown against Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Both Eason and Adams will be inaccessible to the visitors fighters in the last game of both teams before the All-Star break.

Rockets’ depth, a strong suit earlier this season, has been compromised by injuries and emergency control, the latter being the reason to rest Eason and Adams in back-to-backs.

Eason had 25 points, nine rebounds, a season high that ties four assists and three steals against Suns. He was at the forefront of a balanced attack that included Jalen Green and added 22 points, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson, who scored 18 pieces and Alperen Sengun Chipping in 17 points and 13 rebounds. Thompson also contributed 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his fourth career-tripling double.

The rockets still remain Hamstrung of the absence of Fred Vanvleet (ankle) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Hand), although Smith is on the verge of returning from his six -week absence after the break. The constant rotation departments have stopped the team’s progress, but they have given Udoka a chance to reveal additional opportunities.

“Some guys will be in different roles,” Udoka said. “When Amen started and Jabari comes back and peace gets healthy, we have had a chance to look at what guys can do in different positions.

“Hopefully Steven and Tari and these guys can eventually get back-to-backs, and we just continue to use our depth to try and overwhelm people. That’s what you sort so early in the season but the injuries and guys are Out of place at times have affected us some.

Warriors lost Wednesday for the first time since Jimmy Butler arrived at the trade deadline and dropped 111-107 to Dallas Mavericks in the fifth game in a seven-game road trip that ends after the All-Star break.

The Golden State stood from a 15-point third-quarter deficit, but could not finish short-handed Dallas and blow up an opportunity on its first three-game-winning row since mid-November. Despite the result, Warriors gave an example of their potential with Butler working in interaction with Stephen Curry as that duo combined 22 points in the fourth quarter to burn the comeback.

“Throughout the game we just had … Small mental mistakes,” said the Golden State Guard Gary Payton II after the defeat. “We want some revenue and what not, but a mental mistake can lead to a flurry of shots and brands, so we just have to lock themselves mentally … and I think we’ll be in order.”

Curry ended with 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists, and Butler placed 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The work is still to facilitate the transition for both players and Warriors as a whole, but the early results have been positive for a team that was idle before the seismic acquisition.

“It has made sense so far,” Curry said. “You see the positive in what Jimmy brings at both ends of the floor. He is a guy with a high IQ, a competitor. He plays under control all the time and we have put pieces around him with different lineups. We are still trying to Finding out.

“It’s been good so far. I’m excited about building some speed. We’ll finish road trip right. We have an opportunity to do something pretty special considering where we’ve been this season.”

-Felt level media